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History Present Future
The Siberian Cat originates in Russia. It is a semi long-haired cat, appreciated over the years for its’ sweet and affectionate temperament. The registrations of the Siberian Cat started in 1987 by the Kotofei Cat Club in St. Petersburg. It was soon followed by The Fauna Club in Moscow.
The exact origin of the Siberian Cat is impossible to confirm due to lack of documentation. It's a Russian house cat. Just, like any stray cat, if given some food and a warm place to stay, it will gradually become more or less domesticated. Cats are good rodent hunters and were therefore imported to cities like Leningrad ( St. Petersburg) to keep the rats under control sometimes at the end of the 1940’s or the beginning of the 1950’s.
A stray cat has mostly low status in any country, especially after the World War II when Europe and former USSR were recovering from the long war.
The modern breeding started from these cats, taken to homes from the streets of Leningrad and Moscow.In the 1960´s the breeding was in small scale, but during the second Russian “revolution” when political system was reformed, the breeding started in larger scale. Export started as well, in the end of 1980’s. The breeders used different cats as foundations; they took them often from the streets. There were also importations from Northern Asia, this started in 1999.
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Sibcoon's El Dorado, 4 months |
Siberian Cat w traditional colours & the colourpointed Siberian Cat, the Neva Masquerade.
Siberian Cat comes in traditional colours with or with out the colourpointed gene and it comes also in pointed colours, except lilac and cinnamon.
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| RU*Dikaya Krassa Nikandr with PyshkaII, both of them Siberian Cats; Nikandr a non-colour pointed Siberian Cat and little PyshkaII a colour pointed Siberian Cat, also called Neva Masquerade. |
©RU*Dikaya Krassa |
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All other feline associations have accepted the colourpointed siberian, except FIFe. The disputes if the colourpointed Siberian is a Siberian Cat or not started in Russia for only five years ago as a politcal action, commenced by few breeders. Lobbying has taken place in various forums by a small click in various Siberian Cat forums, which has made people turn against each other.Instead of facts, people tend to believe legends told on the forums. A registered pedigree should be respected, since the pointed and the non-pointed Siberian Cats share the same gene pool.
We have talked to breeders who wish for a Neva Masquerade acceptance in FIFe as the sister breed to the non-colourpointed Siberian Cat.There are many breeders of the Siberian Cat who could start breeding the colourpointed Neva Masquerade (NeM)as soon as FIFe gives it's approval. If all colours could be mixed would be the best thing, just like in other feline associations.It keeps the genepool wide, instead of narrowing it down.Those, who choose to breed without the colourpointed gene can take a simple DNA test to check for carriers or non carriers of the cp gene. It's a contradiction, to talk against the colourpointed Siberian and still continue the cp gene by breeding with carriers, this is done by many so called traditional coloured Siberian Cat breeders.
FIFe acceptance of the colourpointed Siberian "Neva Masquerade" as the sisterbreed to the non-colourpointed siberian would wipe off the troubles and speculations.Instead, would provide a positive growing ground for peaceful co-existence of the both colours. It's the same breed, only the colour is different.
A) First colourpointed Siberians registered in Russia was in
1987,1988 and in 1989.
B) The FIfe's Siberian cat model: Gelious Onyx Gloria, was a colourpoint carrier. Gelious is in many Siberian Cat pedigrees.
C) Many traditional Siberian pedigrees have colourpointed Siberians, i.e a cat called Mars who was a colourpoint,SIB a 09 21 33.
D) Not unusual that colourpointed kittens are being born from two traditional coloured Siberian Cat parents.This happens all the time.
E) Colourpointed Siberians are accepted in ACFA, CFA,TICA,GCCF,WCF, will FIFe finally do the same and accept the Neva Masquerade (Nem) as the sisterbreed of the Siberian Cat ? Actually these two are the same breed, with the same genepool. So, what's the fuss ? We think, that breeders in FIFe should have the choice to breed what ever colour they want. Traditional, colourpoint or both.
A typical phrase of those who tell you that the colourpointed Siberian is not the same as the Siberian cat.
A) -Forest cat does not have the colourpoint colours.
Answer: Siberian Cat is not a forest cat. Cream silver is an accepted colour by FIFe, is cream silver a forest colour then? No, it's not. Only the black tabby is.
The Myths
We discovered myths stated in articles about the Siberian Cat, even of ethno biological stand points there are inaccuracies.
The Siberian Cat is not in The Russian Red book and not in The IUCN List of Threatened Species only wild animals are listed on these lists. Not house cats.
Future
Let’s put emphasize on careful and responsible breeding of this sweet and beautiful cat breed. Colour, pointed or not pointed is not of importance. More important is health, temperament, type and wide genepool.The responsibility lies on the international, national cat associations and on the breeders world wide, accompanied with values in regard of:
- Acceptance of Neva Masquerade (NeM)as a sister breed in FIFe. In this way the fans and numerous breeders of the Neva Masquerade get the support they need in FIFe countries,Siberian Cat breeders can continue in breeding their cats with the colours they prefere.
- Ethical breeding in terms of cat care: responsibility towards the breed by breeding only healthy individuals, the cats are well taken care of, no caging, no kitten mills
- Health programs are followed through with mandatory vaccinations and testing for FeLV/FIV and Cardiac Exam of HCM
- Openness regarding health issues, such as HCM
- Support to kitten buyers
- Support for new breeders
- Openly condemn the behaviour of breeders who intentionally spread malicious rumours about other breeders and their cats. There are breeders who do this, which is very unfortunate. Siberian Cat World is strongly against it.
An example how new the Siberian Cat is in West, the first imports:
USA 1990
Czech Republic 1987
Finland 1992
Sweden 1997, pets
Sweden 2000, breeding
South Africa 2000
United Kingdom 2002
Australia 2001
Yasmin S.
Editor in chief
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